With the ELX terminals, Beckhoff combines highly compact remote I/O modules with safety barriers for the direct connection of intrinsically safe field devices such as sensors and actuators. The high resolution and accuracy of the ELX terminals guarantee the same measurement accuracy already familiar through the EtherCAT components for non-hazardous areas from Beckhoff. The compact design of the I/O terminals provides a further advantage: there are up to four intrinsically safe inputs available in a 12 mm wide housing and up to eight in the 24 mm housing type. Eliminating the need for external barriers leads to significant space reductions inside control cabinets, and helps achieve significant cost savings at the same time. With ATEX and IECEx certification, the ELX terminals comply with all industry-specific guidelines for explosion protection and can be used in nearly all markets worldwide, which reduces the user's dependence on different suppliers for different regions. The wide range of uses is also supported by the enormous variety of signals handled by the spectrum of Beckhoff I/O solutions: a suitable I/O module is available for every application. Using the ELX terminals, process technology users can implement extremely compact, cost-effective control system architectures and leverage the outstanding diagnostics functionality found in EtherCAT to help minimise system downtime.